Gotta Go My Own Way OneShot SongFic
by Orange Oak
Summary: Gabriella is only just starting to recover from her broken friendship with Troy. But what happens when he come crawling back?


Gotta Go My Own Way

This is the sequel to Have You Ever. If you're reading this, I suggest you read that _first _lol. But you don't _have _to.

Summary

Gabriella only just recovers from her broken friendship with Troy, but what happens when he comes crawling back? Can he salvage what they used to have?

End Summary

_I gotta say what's on my mind_

_Something about us, doesn't seem right...these days._

_Life keeps getting in the way_

_Whenever we try_

_The plan is always rearranged_

Looking in the mirror she saw a tear stained, red face, but it was nothing. Nothing compared to the pain she felt inside. Every heartbeat came with a sharp pain. As if living without him was causing her heart to shatter with each beat. She knew she would never see him smile again, at least not at her. She knew he would never again call her phone just to say "hi". Just to see if she was awake. She knew, that unlike most of her life, this change was _really _for the worst. She let her head fall in front of the vanity, and her chest heaved back and forth rapidly. Her sobs came harder and her body shook so that the desk moved. Her cries could be heard in the hall where her Mother stood. For a moment she wasn't going to knock. Gabriella spent most of her time crying these days and there was no talking to her. But something, maybe Motherly instinct, caused her to reach out her hand and knock on the door.

"Hold on." came the strained voice of Gabriella as she rushed to dry her eyes. Trying to make herself presentable. There was no hope for her however, anyone would be able to tell she had been crying.

"I'm coming in Gabby." Ms. Montez dropped the towels she had been carrying by the side of Gabriella's door and opened it. Gabriella sat there wiping her eyes and trying to smile at her Mother through the mirror. "You don't have to smile for me." said Ms. Montez gently, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder delicately, as if she might break. As her words came to an end Gabriella's false smile fell and her tears looked as if they would begin anew. "Tell me, what's wrong?"

"He rejected me." it was as she had feared. Her daughters love had been shunned by the one boy that held her heart. "We're not even friends anymore." this was a shock to Ms. Montez. She had not expected Troy to be so cruel. Not after all they had gone through as friends. No, this could not be.

"Maybe he just needs his space."

"Two weeks of space Mom?" Gabriella asked moving away from her Mother as she got to her feet. "Him and Sharpay are back together and still he hasn't even _called _me." she faced her Mother for once, their eyes locked, and her tears began to fall again. "You said tell him Mom...you said." she cried.

"Aww Gabby, I'm so sorry." Ms. Montez really felt bad. Had she sent her daughter out to slaughter? No, of course not, but she had pushed and maybe too hard. Gabriella really wasn't ready to tell Troy of her crush. But at least now she knew. She knew so many things. Like never to expect your feeling to always be returned. It would set her up for a lot of let downs. "I shouldn't have pushed you but at least...at least now you can go on.

"I don't wanna go on." she cried harder into her Mother's arms. "I don't!"

_Don't wanna leave it all behind_

_But I get my hopes up and watch them fall every time_

_Another color turns to grey_

_And it's just so hard...to watch it all...slowly fade away_

A few hours later Gabriella found herself in her Mother's arms on the couch in their TV room. They watched tragic love story after tragic love story, including_ Titanic_ and _The Notebook._ It was what Gabriella needed, to know not all love was meant to be. As the credits began to roll on the last movie Gabriella got to her feet and stretched like a feline. "Oh boy." she said as she stood straight up once more. "Thanks Mom."

"What for?" Ms. Montez asked as she too stretched in her seat, completely ready to watch another sad flick if need be.

"For this." Gabriella said pointing from the TV to the couch and back again. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do." said Ms. Montez as she got to her feet to hug her daughter "It's no problem. Now who's up for ice cream and cookies?"

"Ooh not me. The popcorn an d chocolate was enough." laughed Gabriella as she pointed to the abbandoned popcorn bowl and chocolate bar wrappers strewn across the coffee table. "I think I'll just take a nap."

"In the summer? I don't think so. You're getting out of this house." Ms. Montez left the room for a moment and came back soon enough. Nothing about her had changed. Until she threw Gabriella a set of keys.

"No way." Gabriella said looking at the keys in her hands. "You're kidding right."

"Nope. Go pick up Taylor, Martha, Kelsi. Someone. Anyone." said Ms. Montez sounding desperate.

"Ok, ok, Mom ok." laughed Gabriella right along with her Mother. "I'll see ya later." she said heading out of the TV room. "Oh and Mom..." she peeked her head in the door. "...I love you."

"I love you too." was all Gabriella's Mother could say as teared welled up in her beautiful brown eyes. Why she was about to cry, she had no idea. But she fanned her eyes to stop herself. "Oh boy." she said, reminding herself a lot of her own daughter.

Outside in the garage Gabriella stared at her Mother's Chrysler 300. In all its Midnight Blue glory, it sure was cute. And Gabriella was too psyched about driving it...until she hit the unlock button on the small black remote. The locks to their silver Ford Windstar popped up. Gabriella groaned and then she laughed. "She sure was kidding." with one last fleeting look at the Chrysler 300 she got into the van. Gabriella pulled out her cell-phone only to see a picture of herself and Troy smiling back at her. Sighing she went into her phonebook, soon landing on Taylor's number. After she clicked it a picture of her best friend came up, one she was more than happy to see.

"Taylor here!" came the all too energetic voice Gabriella knew well.

"Hey Taylor." said Gabriella, trying to sound as happy as her friend, though she wasn't sure she pulled it off. "I was just calling to see if I could come over?"

"Of course sister!" she exclaimed with undimmed happiness.

"Cool, I'll see you soon." said Gabriella as she prepared to hang up the phone.

"Kay, bye." but she didn't have to because Taylor was gone. Gabriella just stared at her phone for a moment before laughing and shaking her head.

"That girl." was all she said to herself as she started the car.

She drove to Taylor's, and on the way there she mostly thought about Troy and how she was going to get over him. _If _she was going to. Arriving at Taylor's house sooner than she thought didn't give her much time to think. Parking on the street Gabriella got out. Walking up to the houses cream colored door she was optimistic, today could be a good day, no matter how bad it had started. On the walk she passed pink rose bushes that were in full bloom for the dawning Summer. For one moment, and one moment only, she hesitated to knock on the door. Would her best friend be able to see through this facade of happiness? She was unsure as she knocked on the door. Most likely Taylor was in the living room waiting on her.

When no one came, she knocked a little harder. And then someone was coming, she could hear footsteps. The door swung open and she was a bit surprised to see a certain person standing there. "Oh, hey." she said, with total surprise written across her face.

"Hey Gabriella." came the cool, low voice. "Come on in." he said ushering her in and slamming the door shut behind them. "Look who's here Tay." he said loudly, alerting the girl sitting on the love-seat. He was a little too loud for Gabriella's liking. She was only one girl. The whole block didn't need to know she was here.

"Tay?" she mouthed to Taylor with a small, crooked smile gracing her face.

"This is Chad we're talking about." she mouthed back, though she was aware of Chad watching her. Gabriella just laughed at the two. "Chad could you give us a minute?"

"Yeah, sure." he said, leaving the room. Heading, no doubt, for the kitchen.

"I could come back if you two want some _alone _time." said Gabriella wiggling her eyebrows.

"What-ever Gabbs!" said a now blushing Taylor. "But, umm, we're not _exactly _alone." Taylor frowned and Gabriella knew.

"You don't mean..." Gabriella didn't need to say his name for Taylor to understand. The girl just nodded and Gabriella felt her stomach fall to her knees. At that very moment Troy came downstairs.

"Thanks for letting me use your room, Sharpay was... Gabriella?" Troy had only noticed Gabriella when he started talking about his on-again off-again girlfriend.

"Troy?" said Gabriella turning in the direction of the stairs. Troy had stopped in his tracks, just standing there was he. "I mean, Troy!" she exclaimed with a smile, though her insides were literally trembling.

"Gabriella!" he too exclaimed, making the situation even more awkward.

"Taylor!" said Chad, when he had appeared no one knew for sure.

"Chad!" said Taylor to break the awkwardness that seemed to flow around the four of them. "Now that we all know each others names." she laughed, again awkwardly, at herself. Gabriella knew it was her cue and she too laughed. Soon they were all laughing and the awkward moment was over.

Troy came down the stairs and the two awkwardly hugged, almost as if nothing had happened between them two weeks ago. "So wildcats what are we up to today?" Troy asked the group. Taylor and Gabriella looked at one another. Chad just shrugged his shoulders. Gabriella caught sight of his **I Am Summer **shirt and giggled. For some time after that the four teens watched TV and ate popcorn. Gabriella thought she would burst from all of it.

"Who wants refills?" asked Taylor of their sodas.

"Me!"shouted both Troy and Chad.

"Ok." laughed Taylor. "I'll go, be right back you guys." Taylor hopped to her feet and grabbed the tray that held the glasses. For a moment Chad sat in between Troy and Gabriella, but he soon got to his feet.

"I'm gonna go see if that little honey needs some help." he wiggled his eyebrows and Troy chuckled.

"Dude." he said lightly.

"What?" asked Chad as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"So I was gonna call you." said Troy, Gabriella almost wondered if he was really talking to her. "Just didn't know what tp say."

"Could have said anything, really." said Gabriella, feeling the hurt all over again. Suddenly she was still that girl on the balcony with the tears in her eyes. "So you and Sharpay..."

"Yeah, she forgave me." he said with a half smile

"Good for you Troy." she said none too happily.

"Look Gabriella I'm trying here." said Troy turning his entire body to face her. Gabriella remained facing front. "Would you just look at me?" and then she felt it. His hand upon her cheek. It was enough to make her turn around.

"Don't touch me." she said, her eyes turned cold as he watched on. "You said we couldn't be friends. After all we'd been through together you just dumped me for a girl you haven't been with a full year!" Gabriella got to her feet and paced the length of the couch. "I was always there for you. When Sharpay broke your little heart I was there to dry any tears you shed. To hear any pains you were to voice, I was there! And for you to just leave me, Troy, it was incredibly selfish and immature and cruel. When I needed you most you bailed. So now, I don't need you or want you in my life." she knew what she was saying wasn't all truth. She still wanted him in her life but she was hurt and most of all she was angry. Sure the anger had come suddenly, but it was like a tidal wave, washing out everything in its path.

"Gabriella, please just listen." begged Troy but Gabriella was already on her way to the door. And she was outside before he could say anything more.

_I've gotta move on and be who I am_

_I just don't belong here_

_I hope you understand_

_We might find a place in this world someday_

_But, at least for now_

_I've gotta go my own way_

Gabriella got home around 4:30 that day and she threw her hands up in defeat when she found that her Mother was nowhere to be found. She almost called her, with the idea to beg her to come home. But no, she wanted, in the end, to handle it her own. She paced the entire length of their Living Room for hours, until she heard a car in the driveway. She stopped short and breathed a breath of happiness. Now she would finally have someone to talk to. Albeit not the person she _should _be talking to. Thinking the best, or trying to, Gabriella walked to the garage door in the kitchen and swung it open. Standing there with his hands up. Prepared to knock, was the last person she wanted to see. Though wants and needs were two different things.

"Please go away Troy." she went to slam the door but Troy held it open with one hand.

"I cant." he almost smiled. "Like you said, we've been through too much."

"Fine."Gabriella stepped across the threshold and stood two inches from Troy who had backed up. Only to back up a little more. "You have five minutes Troy Bolton." she said lightly.

"I miss you." that one sentence made her heart hurt more than it already did. Something seemed to squeeze it, as if trying to drain all the blood. "I really miss you Gabby, and I need you in my life."

"And what about Sharpay?" Gabriella's hopes were high. Even if they were to only be friends, at least, maybe, Sharpay would be out of the picture.

"I love her, and I know that bothers you, but I do. I can't see myself without either of you."

"I can't Troy. I just can't ignore my feelings anymore, I can't pretend to be okay when I'm not. I'm sorry but I've gotta go my own way." Gabriella turned and went into the house. This time Troy didn't try to stop her. He knew better, it was really over and it was his fault. He started at the door and longed for Gabriella to come back and yell 'You've been punk'd.' or something like that, but she was not to return. After ten minutes of staring at the door he hopped in his beat up truck and drove away. Gabriella watched him go from the window, feeling a mixture of resentment and relief. Which would win out in the end, she wasn't sure. But for the moment, she smiled. She had conquered her fear, and life without Troy Bolton was looking up.


End file.
